The first 60 days of a baby raccoon’s life are a crucial and fascinating time. During this period, the tiny animals, also known as kits, undergo incredible transformations as they grow and develop into the familiar masked creatures we know and love.
When they are first born, baby raccoons are blind, deaf, and completely dependent on their mothers for survival. They are also extremely small, weighing only about 4-5 ounces at birth. Despite their size, the kits are full of energy and have a natural curiosity that leads them to explore their surroundings and start to learn about the world around them.
During the first couple weeks of life, the kits spend most of their time nursing and sleeping. Their mother carefully cares for them, keeping them warm and protected in a den or nest.
By 3 weeks of age (21 days), the kits begin to develop their senses of sight and hearing, and they start to become more active. They may start to venture outside the den, venturing a few feet from their mother to explore and play.and they start to become more mobile. They will begin to crawl and climb, and their playfulness and curiosity increase. The kits may start to venture further from their mother, exploring their surroundings and investigating objects they encounter. They may also start to vocalize, making chirping or chattering sounds as they play and interact with their siblings.
During the fourth-fifth week of life, the kits start to develop their distinctive raccoon markings. Their characteristic mask and ringed tail start to appear, and their fur begins to grow thicker and fuller. The kits also start to develop their teeth and claws during this period, and they will start to use them to explore and play.
By the sixth week, the kits will start to explore and play outside the den. By this time, the kits have grown significantly and are starting to look more like adult raccoons. Their movements are more coordinated, and they start to climb and explore with increasing agility. They may start to venture further from their den, and their playfulness and curiosity continue to increase.
The kits start to eat solid food for the first time. They may start to nibble on bits of food that their mother brings back to the den, and they may also start to venture out and forage for food on their own. At this stage, they are still dependent on their mother for milk, but they are starting to become more independent and self-sufficient.
By the end of two months of life, baby raccoons have undergone incredible changes. They have gone from tiny, blind, and helpless newborns to active, curious, and independent young animals. They have developed their senses, grown in size, and started to explore and learn about their surroundings. The first 2 months of a baby raccoon’s life are truly a remarkable and fascinating time.
